Extension leg-brace.



G. C. ULLER-Y.

EXTENSION LEG BRAOE.

APPLIUATION FILED MAY 9, 1912. 1,050,258, Patented Jan. 14, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

5/; A TTOH/VEV G. C. ULLER-Y.

EXTENSION LEG BEACH. 1

APPLICATION FILED MAY 9, 1912.

1,050,258. Patented Jan. 14, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Fig. 7

J/ A TTOR/VEV WITNESSES:

UNITED sTATEs PATENT orrioa.

GUSTIN C. ULLERY, OF WEST MILTON, OHIO.

EXTENSION LEG-BRAGE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 14., 1913.

Application filed May 9, 1912. Serial N 0. 696,141.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GUSTIN C. ULLERY, a citizen of the United States, residing at West Milton, in the county of Miami and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Extension Leg-Braces, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in extension leg braces.

In the case of broken and diseased legs, it isfrequently necessary to remove and reapply bandages and splints. A broken leg, in particular, must e handled with the greatest care after the bandages and splints are removed for re-dressing, and the slightest movement of the leg often results in the most serious consequences. Y The object of my invention, therefore, is to provide a device which may be applied to an injured or diseased leg whereby it may be extended, moved or turned with the greatest facility and without fear of injurious consequences. 1

For the above purpose I provide an extension leg brace, which consists of an extensible frame that maybe adjusted to conform to the length of.v the leg of the patient. When this appliance is adjusted to the leg, all of the splints, bandages and dressings may be removed therefrom without aflecting the fractured or diseased portion of the same, or without affecting the extensionl thereof, thereby aiding in the treatment of diseased tissues, bruises, sprains, fractures and all other injuries to the leg. My appliance is particularly adapted for use in the treatment of fractures, especially compound fractures, for by its use the injured leg may be extended to correspond to the length of the uninjured limb, thus preventing shortening. It is not only adapted for use in connection with fractures, but also may be employed in hip joint disease, tuberculosis of the leg and other diseases in which the leg requires rest, fixation and extension.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved extencrotchos of varying sizes.

sion leg brace. Fig. :2 is a detail view of the frame of the lower section of the brace.

Fig. 8 is a side view of the same. Fig. 4 is a side view of the upper section of the brace frame. Fig. 5 is a plan View of the same. Fig. 6 is a detail view of the guiding member provided on the lower end of the upper brace section. And Fig. 7.is a perspective view of my extension leg brace applied to a leg of a patient. 5

Throughout the specification and drawings, similar reference characters denote correspondin parts.

My im roved extension leg brace is constructed in three sections, the upper one comprising a metallic member 1,' curved throughout a portion of its length, and to one end of which is secured a metallic circumferential hip band 2. Attached to the ends of the band 2 are straps 3 carrying buckles 4.- which receive the ends 5 of a flexible crotch girth 6. From its point of connection to the front of thebrace, this girth is passed down and around the crotch or groin of the patient and then buckles to the rear portion of the brace, so that the brace may be firmly held for extension. The girth 6 is of sufficient length to be extended or shortened by the buckles 4, to encircle terminates at its lower end in an enlarged portion 7, and provided immediately above the latter, in the member 1, is a longitudinal slot 8, the purpose of which is to be hereinafter defined. (See Figs, 1, 3 and 4:).

The member 1 The middle sect-ion of the brace comprises i two metallic members 9 and 10, which are inclined toward each other and connected by circumferential leg bands 11 and 12. The enlarged portion 7 of the member 1 has claw-shaped ends 13, see Fig. 6, adapted to receive either of the members 9 or 10, said members being provided with beveled edges 14; which act as a guide for the ends 13 of the said member 1. It will now be seen that r the member 1 may be adjustably secured to either of the members 9 or 10 of the middle its claw-shaped ends 13 with the beveled edges 11 of the member to which it is applied. The fact that member 1 may be secured to either the member 9 or the member 10 of the middle brace section, makes it possible to apply the brace to either the right or left leg of the patient.

Provided in the upper end of each of the members 9 and 10 of the middle brace section, is an aperture adapted to receive a screw-tln-eaded bolt 16. When it is desired to apply the member 1 of the upper brace section to either of the members 9 or 10 of the middle section, the selected middle section member is first brought to a position to be received by the ends 13 of the enlarged portion 7 of the member 1, whereupon said members are moved toward each other until the aperture 15 is in vertical and longitudinal alinement with the slot 8. When the member 1 and the member of the middle brace section to which said member 1 is applied, have been adjusted to conform to the leg of the patient, they are firmly clamped together by a wing nut 17 which the bolt 16 carries on its screw-threaded end. The slot 8 of the member 1 is of sufficient length to provide for all necessary longitudinal adjustments of the upper and middle brace sections.

The members 9 and 10 terminate at their lower ends in enlarged portions 18 and 19 respectively, which have claw-shaped ends 20 similar to the ends 13 of the member 1. The lower portions of said members 9 and 10 are also'provided with apertures which receive bolts 21 similar to the bolt before referred to.

The lower section of the brace comprises two metallic members 22 and 28, which incline toward each other and are united at their lower ends by an end piece 2 1. These members 22 and 23 are provided with beveled edges 25 which are adapted to be engaged by the claw-shaped ends 20 of the enlarged port-ions of the members 9 and 10 respectively. Each of the members 22 and 23 of the lower section of the brace are slidably adjustable upon the members 9 and 10 of the middle brace section, and are guided in their sliding movement by the engagement of their beveled edges 25 with the claw-shaped ends 20 of the said members 9 and 10. When these members have been adjusted to cooperate with the upper member 1, in making the extension brace conform to the length and contour of the leg of the patient, wing nuts 27 are screwed down upon the bolts 21 which extend through the lower apertures in the middle section members and the slots 26 in the lower section members, to firmly clamp said vmembers. in their adjusted position. (See'Figs. 1, 2 and The end piece 24 has provided in its central portion an aperture 28 which is adapted roeoaee to receive a threaded rod 29 which supports at its upper end a metallic plate 30. When in position, the plate 30 lies between the members 22 and 23 and above the end piece 24:, and is adapted to receive an adhesive strap 31 which is in turn applied to both sides of the injured or diseased leg, whereby the foot of the patient is kept in such aline ment that it cannot be turned in or out. (See Fig. 7 The metallic plate 30 may be adjusted to legs of different lengths by varying the position of the rod 29 above the end piece 24. This rod 29 is adapted to receive a wing nut 32 on its lower end to adjust the position of said rod with reference to the I length of the leg of the patient.

The brace may be adjusted to the leg of the patient as follows: It is assembled and the leg of the patient carefully placed therein. The girth 6 is then buckled on one end of the hip band 2, and then passed around the groin of the patient and buckled to the other end of said band so as to hold the brace for extension. The different sections of the brace are then longitudinally adjusted to conform to the length of the patients leg. When the frame is so adjusted, the wing nuts 17 and 27 are screwed upon their respective bolts to firmly hold the frame in its adjusted position. The metallic plate 30 is also adjusted to the proper length of the leg of the patient by turning the Wing nut 32 on the rod 29. It will now be seen that my improved extension leg brace may be readily adjusted to the leg of a patient to protect the same from injury due to the movement thereof.

1 do not wish to be limited to the use of metal as the material from which myextension leg brace is constructed, or other details of construction and arrangement herein shown and described, as the same may be varied within the scope of the subjoined claim.

Having described my invention, 1 claim:

In an extension leg brace, a member curved throughout a portion of its length, a circumferential hip band carried by the upper end of said member, a flexible crotch girth adapted to be secured to said band, a slot provided in the lower portion of said curved member, an inclined member upon which said curved member is longitudinally adjustable, a similar inclined member upon which said curved member is also longitudinally adjustable, circumferential leg bands connecting said inclined members, an aperture provided in the upper portion of each of sald inclined members, to receive a bolt which also passes through the slot in the curved member, a Wing nut carried by the bolt to clamp together the curved member and the member to which it is applied, two other inclined memberslongitudinally adjustable upon the first named inclined members, an end piece connecting said last named inclined members, a rod longitudinally movable in said end piece, a metallic plate carried by said rod, and an adhesive strap connecting said plate to the leg of the patient Witnesses for adjusting said leg within the brace, sub- J. T. YOUNG, stantially as described. i W'. S. KESSLER.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this seventh day of May, 1912.

GUSTIN Q- LLERY. 

